I managed to attain the distinction of PFIAP recently, it is a new FIAP level called Portfolio-FIAP (PFIAP for short). My particular submitted work was a selection of studio colour nude images using just a single light to create drama and contrast. All very well I hear you say but what is actually involved in this new distinction!
Well the PFIAP levels require a selection of 10 top images on a theme and in context within a given intent. Ideally you state the intention and theme in a statement that corresponds to the images. ie Landscapes with waterfalls, portraits of army veterans, wildlife of the desert etc etc The images must work together and cannot be random without cohesion. The levels start at PFIAP then PFIAPb (bronze) PFIAPs (Silver) and so on, however they get more difficult as you go on, for the bronze level you need to produce two different portfolios…the themes cannot be similar to themes used before. As such I cannot use ‘colour nudes’ as a theme for any other PFIAP levels. These levels were just introduced this year and I reckon I was one of the first if not the actual first to apply.
The application and cut off date was set for 15 Jan 26, so in December I assembled the portfolio I was going to use and waited for the 15th Jan, when a web page would be available to upload to. Jan 14th saw no web page online…..15 Jan morning saw no webpage online! This did not bode well….later in the day though I saw a blank web page…5 mins later a header appeared!…15 mins later a home page appeared!…they were actually building the webpage on the day! So I sat there waiting for the upload page to appear, and eventually it did…..but no place to type theme and intent. 10 Mins later a small text section appeared so I uploaded the images successfully only to find out that the text section had only enough room for 35 characters, so I typed in what I could and left it at that and paid my fee. I thought this isn’t going to go through, I had very little hope of anyone actually seeing the portfolio as I believed everything would fall into a black hole of the internet. However it seems it went through ok and the images were good enough to gain the distinction of PFIAP….will I do the bronze level?…as sure as photographers forget to take the lens cap off I will. I can’t apply until next Jan 15 2027 though.

A Flame to the Light – Ivory Flame

Frizzy Top – Lorelei

Passion of the Flame – Ivory Flame

Red on the Ottoman – Chrissie Red

Shadows of Grief – Helen Stephens

The Brankin Contemplation – Katyb

When the Mind Slips – Aurora Violet

The Pheonix Complex – Rose M Child

The Reluctant Witch – Helen Diaz

The Stool – Amber Castle

Many Thanks to all the models I’ve worked with in the past, not just the ones shown here.